Asian Stocks Fall; India’s Index Plunges 8%

Asian shares declined on Tuesday, with significant movement seen in India’s Sensex, which plunged by up to 8%. The sharp decline came as investors opted to sell shares and secure profits following exit polls that favored Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third term. By mid-afternoon, the Sensex had recovered slightly but was still down 7.1% at 71,020.45. The final vote count of India’s extensive six-week national election indicated a lower-than-anticipated seat tally for Modi’s National Democratic Alliance, though it still maintained a lead over its main competitor.

Elsewhere in Asia, market movements were mixed. Japan’s Nikkei 225 index dipped slightly by 0.2% to 38,837.46, while South Korea’s Kospi fell by 0.8% to 2,660.69. Contrasting these declines, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index bucked the trend with a gain of 0.5%, reaching 18,494.28. The Shanghai Composite index in China also saw a minor drop of 0.1% to 3,076.96.

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 index decreased by 0.3% to 7,740.80, and Taiwan’s Taiex mirrored this loss with a 0.8% decline.

Turning to the global scene, U.S. markets showed a mixed performance the previous day. The S&P 500 slightly increased by 0.1% to 5,283.40, despite most stocks in the index falling. The Dow Jones Industrial Average experienced a 0.3% drop to 38,571.03, whereas the Nasdaq composite demonstrated growth, rising by 0.6% to 16,828.67.

Complementing these stock movements, oil prices saw a decrease, and U.S. futures edged higher, signaling varied investor sentiments across different asset classes. This combination of events reflects the interconnected nature of global markets, reacting sensitively to geopolitical developments and economic forecasts.